We only have one pulse oximeter for the facility, but we have flat-screen TVs!

[Plagueis]

I've been hearing stories from my fellow nurses about not having enough equipment (or it goes missing) at work, so they end up buying their own, such as personal pulse oximeters or wrist blood pressure machines. I would then ask if they made management aware of the missing or broken equipment, and they said that when they did, they were blamed for the missing or broken equipment, so the facility wasn't going to get new equipment, and that nurses would have to share what was left.

I even know a couple of nurses who bought their own thermometers for work because there was only one available for over 150 residents in the facility. Another even mentioned that her facility (she works LTC) recently spent over $600 on new phones for the facility and bought flat-screen TVs for the rehab sections, but then claimed they couldn't afford more Criticons. I guess I'm fortunate that I work at a place that actually has enough equipment to go around.

I just don't get it. Why should nurses have to buy their own pulse oximeters or thermometers to use at work? Is it really more important to have tricked-out phones and TVs than to have enough working equipment so that nurses can actually take vital signs?

[ebear, BSN, RN]

ScottE, AMEN BROTHER! :rckn:

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

Now, how do you like this one? The company I work for put in these huge flat screens all over the place, including one at reception, and they use it for....? Cycling endless, repetitive advertising slide shows of the 3 hospitals in the group. Not even a movie or news channel for patients and visitors to watch while they're waiting. Then they have other monitors in the passages that are supposed to display patient information! Thankfully, due to the mickey mouse computer programs they've installed, these things have never worked....

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

I remember when a hospital I had worked at provided a sphygmomometer in every room, in a particular drawer in each and every room. Not too long following the generous boost did one find fewer and fewer of these in each room. Same happened to the wheel chairs till they ended up using a cable to keep them in toe. Then, none were missing.

Should we really always blame the facility or blame the public or staff who find taking equipment from hospitals no crime, share no guilt? When abundance shows up and quickly disappears, that bugs the bejeebers out of me!

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

We had a family member try to take the satellite receiver out of their room. When asked politely "WTH were you thinking" not in those words, the pt's family member said, "if it's in the room it belongs to him, right?"

I keep waiting for a bunch of the local "gun and knife club" to take a flat screen off the wall...we had one of these lovely souls on a med surg floor and they took everything, even the seat off the toilet.

Seat off a toilet in a hospital? YECH.....

[systoly]

Yes, a lot of equipment walks away or needs to be retired prematurely, because of improper handling, but that is true for furniture or TVs as well and they get replaced quickly. Especially LTC facilities seem to believe acquiring a couple of $ 30 thermometers each year is enough for say 150 patients.

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

I wouldn't do that. Whenever I run into a problem related to personnel or equipment, i chart it. It pi$$e$ my management the heck off, but I do it every time. "unable to turn 300lb patient alone, no other staff here, no staff avail from other unit to help. Hospital supervisor aware that pt is not being turned in a timely manner. Reposition as able, prom provided." "pt requests snack. Nothing available and kitchen closed." if there were no thermometer, I'd just chart that the facility didn't have one. They make the choices, they bear the consequences.

[Trubie, LPN]

I recently accepted job in LTC as a new grad and I learned quickly that if you want supplies, you provide your own. The facility has one BP cuff for all 80 beds. The facility provides an old fashioned oral thermometer that takes about 3-4 minutes to give a reading... some of our residents have dementia and cannot remember to keep their mouth closed that long, let alone keep the darn thing under their tongue!

I bring my own temporal thermometer, pulse ox and manual BP cuff. I keep them in my purse, so they are readily available when I need them- I dont want to search all over the building looking for the BP cuff that is locked in an unattended med cart!

I also buy my own air freshener for work (after incontinent episodes in the hallways) and I have a huge stash of black pens.

I feel like a personal supply closet!! But it is worth it to me to have the equipment I need, without going on a wild goose chase!

[grannyrn65]

I am not surprised by the complaints of lack of equipment or the purchase of high ticket items to supposedly satisfy patients. What I am surprised at, is some nurses actually believe patients can be lulled into equating a flat screen TV with a good hospital. I have several friends, my age range, that compare care, after being hospitalized at one of our three community hospitals. I would like to point out that all three are for profits, so patient satisfaction is closely watched. My friends are not impressed with flat screen TV's. What they are concerned with is how long they wait for a call light to be answered. Or the wait to get pain medication? Or how long they wait for assistance to get out of bed or get off the toilet? Or wait for someone to come in after their IV pump's alarm goes off? Or get an assessment by their nurse, after shift change or even get her/his name? Or getting a tray replaced because it wasn't what was asked for?

All three hospitals work twelve hour shifts. If any of us had to wait because of lack of equipment, to monitor our vital signs. We would notice it, question it, and report the lack of equipment to the appropriate state agency. And we would also notify the Joint Commission. You see, a lot of us seniors are computer and net savvy. We know what is important, how to find a monitoring agency, and who to make complaints too that have an impact.

Perhaps instead of buying supplies and equipment, you might start sharing with your patients who are getting short changed. If you keep making your purchases, you will find yourselves in the same position teachers have because they started out buying a few things.

GrannyRN65:redbeathe